LAGUNA BEACH : Illegal Additions Cost Resident $1,500

A judge on Tuesday ordered a man who built a illegal addition to his home to pay $1,500 in fines and serve three years of informal probation.

With the fine, Victor Glashow said he will have spent a total of $73,000 to build and then demolish what he considered home improvements and pay to clear his name with the city and the courts.

“It’s a very unpleasant surprise,” said Glashow, 52, who said he has now met every city requirement for his home except laying carpet and installing a handrail. “My understanding was that the charges would be dismissed because I complied with what the city wanted.”

Even Laguna Beach Deputy City Atty. Patrick Rafferty said he was a bit surprised at the outcome of the case, which began a year ago when the city received an anonymous tip that led to the inspection of Glashow’s home. Glashow, who bought the house eight years ago, said he knew it was illegal to convert the downstairs into a tiny apartment. But since such units are common in Laguna Beach, he said he didn’t think it was a serious offense.

When he asked the builder of the house to add a sun room, deck, spa, sauna and tool shed to the back of the house, Glashow said he assumed that the builder obtained the necessary permits. For years, Glashow had rented the downstairs to one artist and the sun room to another.

The city filed misdemeanor charges against Glashow for violating city zoning laws six months after he was first asked last June to bring his home additions into compliance with the laws.

Glashow eventually pleaded guilty to two of six charges, and the city dropped the other four.

Although Glashow said he moved to Laguna Beach to retire, he is now eager to move, and the house is up for sale.

“The house has already been listed on the multiple listing,” he said. “I want to get out of there as soon as I can.”